While the Clippers have inquired about the availability of several "available" shooting guards after the season-ending injury to Chauncey Billups, they are reluctant to pay too steep a price unless they can find a deal that moves them closer to contending for a title this year and in the future, general manager Neil Olshey told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

"We're willing to do anything we can to move needle this year," Olshey said. "But unless it's piece for the future that also gives us to win a championship this year, we're not going to give up our longterm flexibility and assets to do that."

The price for the top shooting guards being mentioned in trade talks this spring -- Boston's Ray Allen, Portland's Jamal Crawford and Washington's Nick Young -- has so far been too high for the Clippers.

Most teams have asked for some combination of young point guard Eric Bledsoe, a future first-round pick and the expiring contracts of Randy Foye or Brian Cook.